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Magic
Magic is the common term for the art of manipulating Black Dust, either to use as a spell or as an ingredient in various magically enhanced potions. Core Principles Magic all around the world is practiced with many different forms and techniques, but all of them stem from the same basic principles. To use any form of magic, a mage must first summon dust from the air. When discussing magic, the term dust refers to the microscopic fragments of the spirits former mortal bodies that can be found in the air anywhere in the world. This dust acts as a raw ingredient in magic, and with the help of a spirit, or by natural ability, the mage gathers dust from the air, to be used in a spell. Spells are cast by altering the physical properties of the dust. For example, to cast a fireball, the mage heats the dust and sets it on fire, concentrating it into a fiery projectile. To repair a broken dagger, the mage identifies the material and alters the dust to fit the composition, replacing the damaged parts with artificial materials. To determine the categories and schools of all the different spells that are invented and will be invented, Invaris Sunn created the Spectrum of Spells in 350 FR, a map which places all spells in three major schools: Martial, Restorative and Transforming magic. On the far left end of the spectrum lies Martial magic, spells that are used to destroy and obliterate. On the other end lies Restorative magic, used to repair broken things and heal wounds. The middle of the spectrum is Transforming magic, which is used to alter the physical state of objects, or create new things. Early Usage The news of Invaris Sunn's discovery spread quickly throughout the nations of Cradle, and shortly after, Morianisi herself allowed the Zharkilt and his subjects to harness the Black Dust with the help of lesser spirits. Morianisi confided in Invaris Sunn and his apprentices, showing him how to create the tools necessary to wield the power of Black Dust. They were instructed to create Bonding Gauntlets, tools which contained a stone that would bind a lesser spirit to the physical world, allowing it to manipulate dust on its master's command to cast spells. It took them many years of trial and error, even with the guidance of Morianisi, to construct the first working Bonding Gauntlet. In the year 341 FR, Invaris Sunn and his brightest pupil, Tisee Vi Noenea, cast the first spell, a small pulse of erratic, unrefined magical energy that sent both casters and their equipment floating for several minutes. More and more Bonding Gauntlets were built to accommodate the first generation of mages. There was no shortage of willing spirits, as millions of lesser spirits expressed an interest in spellcasting. As studies in magic progressed at a remarkable rate, more diverse spells were developed every day, which inspired Invaris Sunn to continue his research, and in the year 350 FR, he published a book titled The Spectrum of Spells. The Spectrum of Spells contained the collected knowledge of magic so far, but most importantly it acted as a map on which all current and future spells could be placed, to better understand their nature and primary function. More academies all around Cradle were founded, and magic expanded into an essential part of everyday life. Within fifty years of the first successful spell, the industrial revolution was a fact. Solutions that had previously been out of reach for the engineers and scientists of the 4th century were now much simpler with the use of magic. Martial Magic Martial magic is a broad term which encompasses any form of magic that is used to destroy, decimate and debilitate. Ever since the discovery of magic-wielding in 341 FR, the martial magic forms have been explored and evolved in many corners of the world. At first, it was practiced only in the Farsight Academy, with training given only to the most restrained and experienced mages, but with the introduction of magic in Veer, the courts developed their own forms, classed as martial magic. The Spring Wardens were quick to adopt martial magic, eventually replacing their old weapons completely to dedicate themselves to its study. Over the course of the following years, they developed a unique form of martial magic, where the energy is focused and guided with one hand, and gathered with the other. Instead of gathering energy and releasing it into a rough forward blast, the Spring Mages can direct their spells with great precision and speed, allowing them to hit targets at great distances, with the right training. As the Spring Wardens proved their skill with magic and displayed its power, the rest of Veer also adopted magic in some form. The Autumn Wardens, mistrusting of the spirits, only used it to enhance their weapons, binding spirits to their blades and armor. They took no credit for their use of magic, and gave no name to their form. The Morianisians, on the other hand, embraced magic as a divine gift, and it was soon used in everyday situations as well as in battle. The Zharkilt and the priests used its magic often without restraint, sometimes even competing for the most powerful spells. Their form, which came to be used by Parndran armies as well, was all about strong, pounding bursts. They used wide, sweeping moves to create waves, which made up for their lack of range and precision with raw power. Restorative Magic Restorative magic is the natural opposite to martial magic, forms that restore, repair and heal. The basic principle of any restorative spell is that the caster analyzes and connects with the subject, to understand its previous composition so that it may be restored. For example, healing a wounded patient requires basic understanding of their anatomy and physical properties, or else the caster would risk further injuring their patient. Cuts, bruises and light wounds are easy to heal, but it would take rigorous training over the course of several years to repair broken bones, failing organs or severed limbs. When magic was discovered and adopted by the Veer Empire and the Parndrans, the Summer Wardens were the first to invent restorative magic. It is said to have been discovered by the mage Meihe Oriyc, who during her sparring session with a colleague accidentally damaged a tree in the courtyard. Luckily, Oriyc was a botanist and managed to reverse the damage she had caused, restoring the tree to its original state. This new form of magic was explored further among Summer mages, and was presented to the Farsight Academy. It was then taught in all academies, but separate from the traditional martial magic. It was declared that the two forms are to be referred to as separate schools of magic, both equally essential to the learned mage. In its early years, restorative magic was focused mainly on the restoration of broken equipment, plants and objects. It was not until 349 FR that restorative magic for medicinal purposes was explored, and found its place as an essential practice in academies worldwide. Transforming Magic After the introduction of Martial and Restorative magic, the two polar opposites were believed to be the natural balance of magic, a spectrum to measure what a spell does and in which category it fits. Spells that altered an object without destroying or repairing it were just known to be somewhere in between the two, but as mages all around Cradle and Print experimented further, it became clear that this magical spectrum was in need of a centerpiece, which came to be known as Transforming magic. Transforming magic is the name for spells that alter an object’s physical properties, appearance and composition. A skilled transformer can turn coal into diamonds, flowers to stone and even create things out of thin air by transforming dust that they gather. Transforming magic soon found its way into the homes of everyday citizens and working mages, as a school of magic with many more applications in civilian life than Martial magic, and in some cases Restorative Magic. But as mages started to use it to create counterfeit gold and jewelry, new laws were passed by The Temple Commonwealth which prohibited Transforming magic to be used for monetary gain. These rules were later agreed upon by all mages societies as a common rule for all magic users. Conjuring items was still allowed if it was required in the mage’s line of work, such as creating materials for construction or supplies, on the condition that any conjured items sold or gifted must be advertised as magical forgery.